"No!" Emily yelled, running to the now sealed wall. She hit it with her fist. She was crying, bashing her fist furiously against the wall until it began to bleed. Blood trickled in between her knuckles and the salty tears made it sting. Victor put his hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. "It's my fault. It was my idea to push Barkis. It's all my fault." Emily leaned against the wall.
"Don't blame yourself. We should go ask elder Godknecht to see if he has any magic." Victor scuttled away, and Emily finally dragged herself away from the wall. They went back to Elder Godknechts tower, where he was still stood. He gasped as he saw Emily back in her true form. He patted her shoulder.
"Welcome back, my dear. My goodness! Your hand!" He got a bandage out and wrapped it around Emily's hand as they told him the story. At the end he tutted.
"Do you have any magic that could help him?" Emily asked. He shook his skull.
"I'm afraid not. Lord Barkis set some very strong magic. Not even HE can open it now." Emily sighed and trudged away, leaving Victor to talk with Elder Godknecht. She wandered back to the wall and slumped against it. Her tears had dried and felt sticky on her face. She stroked the wall with her bandaged hand.
"Oh Andrew, I'm so sorry."
"Don't be sorry" came a muffled voice from the other side of the wall.
"Andrew!" Emily cried. "You can hear me?"
"Just about."
"Are you OK? I'm so sorry about this. Victor feels terrible."
"You guys shoudn't feel sorry, I'm fine, apart from being stuck in here with this lunatic." Emily giggled.
"You remember how you said you'd like to strangle the man that murdered me?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Now's you're chance." There was a shocked silence.
"NO! He didn't!"
"I'm afraid he did. But are you sure you're OK?"
"I keep telling you, I'm fine. Are you alright?"
"My knuckles are bleeding a little, but I'm dead, it can't get much worse than that, right?" There was nervous laughter from the other side of the wall.
"Emily?"
"Yes?"
"I-uh-um-never mind."
"No seriously, tell me."
"Uh, here goes. Emily, I think I'm in love with you." There was an akward silence. Emily could imagine Andrew blushing.
"What I mean is, uh, do you ever think we could be together?" Emily smiled and thought over the situation.
"Maybe. Although the only way is marrige, and there's a big difference between us. I mean, I'm dead."
"I'd hang myself to be with you." Emily smiled. Andrew may trip over himself a lot, but he could really be sweet sometimes.
"If I ever get out, do you think it could happen?"
"Maybe. Andrew, I've got to go back now, I'll see you later." She stood up and walked away, debating the matter at hand."
Victor walked into the bar. He wasn't usually a drinker, but today he could really do with it. He stepped into the bar and gasped.
"Daddy!" Emily ran up to him and wrapped her tiny arms around him. He swung her around and kissed her forehead. This was the first time he had seen her like this. They hugged for what seemed like forever.
"Where's Mummy?" she finally said.
"Mummy's asleep at home, sweetie" Victor replied, stroking her hair. At that moment a droopy Emily entered the room. She sat by the piano and played out the tune that so often wafted in her memory. Victor remembered it well, not only from his experiences in the Underworld, but the fact he'd used it to sing his daughter to sleep when she was smaller. She was drifting off now. This song seemed to have some spell over her. Victor cradled her for a bit then set her down on the bar table. He walked over to Emily and sat beside her.
"Andrew proposed to me," she sighed. Victor smiled at her.
"What are you going to say to him?"
"I told him maybe. Plus there's the big IF. If he ever gets out of that hole alive."
"Surely there must be some other way." They both racked their brains. Suddenly Emily clicked her fingers.
"I've got it!"
